Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to managing a plurality of communication terminals that transmit or receive content data.
Description of the Related Art
An example of a communication system that transmits or receives content data between a plurality of communication terminals via a relay device includes a videoconference system that carries out videoconference via a communication network such as the Internet. There is an increasing need for such videoconference systems due to reduction in business trip costs and time in recent years. In such videoconference systems, a plurality of videoconference terminals, which are examples of communication terminals, is used. A videoconference can be carried out by transmission or reception of image data and sound data between these videoconference terminals.
The recent improvement of broadband circumstances contributes to transmission and reception of high-quality image data and high-quality sound data. Accordingly, it becomes easier to detect the circumstances of a communication partner in a videoconference, thus improving productivity of conversation-based communication.
The same communication terminal (or of the same type) may be used for different applications or purposes. For example, in the case of using a communication terminal for remote diagnosis system, an image of the affected part of a patient needs to be sent to a remote place. It is thus preferable that image data be of high quality. In contrast, in the case of using a communication terminal for a videoconference system for merely conveying a message, image data may be of low quality.
However, there is a general tendency that the higher the quality of image data and sound data, the more expensive the usage fee of a communication system. Therefore, in the case of using the same communication terminal (or of the same type) for different applications or purposes, if the user is unable to select a communication quality that suits a particular application or purpose, the user may eventually pay a wasteful usage fee.